Catching Up— The Last Quarter of 2011.
A few days ago, I randomly visited my tumblr site again after months of not opening it, and I’m so glad that I did. I couldn’t help but reminisce as I was looking through old photos from the first two quarters of 2011. I remembered the good times, and the not so good times. I was reminded of all the changes in my life. This encouraged me to write a little something about the last quarter of my 2011, just so I could have something to look back to as well. Just because I never got to finish my Project365, (thanks to my beloved iPhone 4 getting stolen in October’11) that doesn’t mean I shouldn’t stop appreciating my life for what it is. :)
2011 Last Quarter Highlights:
SpeedRegalo launch, September 13, 2011. A lot led up to this day and even MORE work is being done for this little baby project of mine. Until now! I learned how to face what felt like the worst obstacles, and I’m proud to say that I have grown and am continuing to grow, thanks to this new venture of mine. 
The beginning of my part time courier career, September 25, 2011. And so the addiction to flying begins. Embarking on frequent courier trips to North America has been such a blessing for me. I get to visit my brother & good friends in Los Angeles, plus pocket a little extra $$$ for my future. Plus more stamps on my passport! :)
STOMP Live at CCP, October 20, 2011. I’ve always wanted to see STOMP live, and I never thought I’d be able to see it in Manila! After the show, I just felt like beating on things and making music from whatever item I could find! Big thanks to the Villalon’s for taking me with them to see this. :)
Happy Halloween at Attica, October 29, 2011. Celebrating Halloween is always fun whether you go all out or not. This year, I went for the easy, typical costume approach— trashy, sweaty, racoon-eyed Snooki from Jersey Shore! But I definitely had fun getting into character. ;) *insert random fist pump here*
Thailand trip with the managers of Airspeed’s group of companies, October 30 - November 1, 2011. First trip with the managers, and what a fun one it was. Besides team strategy meetings, we immersed ourselves in everything Pattaya, Thailand had to offer! I’m definitely blessed to have the privilege of being a part of this dream team! :)
SpeedRegalo & Ephesians Singapore Road Show, November 25 - 27, 2011. We had our very first opportunity to share SpeedRegalo’s services & Ephesians Management’s trainings with our fellow Filipinos in Singapore. PLUS, I got to try my very first truffle filled xiao long bao at Din Tai Fung. AHHH-MAZING. :)
Post-Thanksgiving Dinner, December 10, 2011. I can never imagine NOT celebrating Thanksgiving now, it really is one of my favorite holidays! I love spending the afternoon cooking, and telling everyone around the table what you’re most thankful for. One thing I was thankful for on this day— being able to spend Thanksgiving with my Orange County family. :)
Kaskade Live at Republiq, December 15, 2011. Every single time I see this man play live, it just gets better and better. And the fact that this was the fourth night in a row that I was at Republiq during the wee hours of the morning (with work the next day!!) proved how awesome he was because the lack of sleep was SO worth it.
Tofu meets Miso, December 26, 2011. After our shi-tzu, Daniella, passed away earlier in December, my little sister got the most wonderful surprise present— a black Pomeranian puppy! Miso meets our Pekingese, Tofu, for the very first time and it was NOT love at first sight. The complete opposite, actually. But we love them both to bits nonetheless. :)
Post-Christmas Gift Exchange & Skye, December 27, 2011. The last quarter of the year is always the most hectic. With holiday shopping & parties and dinners galore, sometimes it’s a little difficult to get together. What a great idea to have this post-Christmas celebration with the girls at Masseto, where we got to have a little Secret Santa gift exchange! (loved my gift, MAC lipstick from the Wonder Woman collection!) And this was the night I finally discovered Skye, one of my new favorite places. Such a gorgeous lounge overlooking Fort Bonifacio, with that mix of chill & edgy.
And those are just a few of the moments that I’ve thoroughly enjoyed towards the latter part of 2011. It was a great year, and I’m so thankful! I learned a handful of things— from being more confident, courageous, and willing to adapt to different environments, people and situations. This year was also the year I mastered the NYC subway system (I now know the difference between the blue line & the green line) and I have also mastered the art of Manila driving (from emergency counter flows, to tolerating jeeps that stop in the middle of the road, and pedestrians that have death wishes). So it was a great year, and I can only hope to continue growing and evolving for the better. Progress, progress, progress. :)
